2/7/05 12:05pm Onboard a flight from Taipei to HK to Shanghai

Leaving on a jet plane, once again. Tired but glad I can finally have some down time to rest and relax. For some reason, my left eye has been a bit red and irritated though I don’t feel any discomfort nor is my vision impaired. Maybe I’m just tired and need more rest.

I have a lot of work to catch up on since the past few weeks have been dedicated to promotion only. A lot of deals, budgets and accounting reports need to reviewed both for my companies in Taiwan and LA. I’ve neglected both personal and business emails as well over the past month so my work is cut out for me.

I’m really looking forward to going back to LA even though it’s only for a few days. I miss the clear blue skies and sunshine in California and nothing beats driving down the freeway with the cool breeze blowing. I really miss driving my cars, of course, especially since I don’t drive at all when I’m in Asia. Sitting in the seat and starting up the engine is enough to put a smile on my face and in my heart. I’m thinking about taking a road trip alone to either San Francisco or Vegas but I don’t know if that’s possible since I have very limited time. Driving is a simple pleasure perhaps but it’s one the great joys in my life. I often times don’t even have the music on as I find it distracting. I enjoy listening to and feeling the engine especially when I rev up the engine towards redline. It’s as if the car is speaking to me - some of you must be thinking that I’m crazy! I’m not really into luxury sedans but I can appreciate a luxurious sports sedan with lots of power and torque. I guess I’m still a little boy with his collections of sports cars! I like cars with character and style more than anything. I appreciate and respect cars for their heritage and purity of design. This applies to both the body styling as well as engine design. A famous name is not so much as important as the originality and ingenuity of a manufacturer. Like music, some cars can be overly complicated, cluttered and lacking in originality and style. A few of my cars are older vehicles (60’s to 80’s) but they have a sense of style and coolness that current cars can’t match. A car can have some flaws but still remain a collectible and classic just as a singer often times may not have a “perfect” voice but can still move you. I feel many cars nowadays strive to be mechanically “perfect” yet have no soul or character. Just like a perfectly sampled computer piano sound or a perfectly played guitar solo, a “perfect” car often gives the driver an isolated and sterile driving experience. A great example that illustrates this point is a vintage Porsche 911. Never considered a mechanically “perfect” car, the 911 is probably one of the most classic cars in automotive history. Its rear engine layout is something very controversial as most cars are either front or mid engine, which supposedly provides better balance, and weight distribution. However, why, after almost 50 years is the 911 unarguably still one of the best and most loved sports cars in the world? Whether for normal road use or international competition the 911 is still at the top of it’s game. Not because it’s “perfect” by standard definition but because it’s efficient, stylish and simply a blast to drive. From the sound of its boxer engine, to its sometimes tricky handling, to its once very Spartan and plain cockpit, the 911 simply has a soul that most cars never even dream of attaining. Yes, there are cars that are faster, more luxurious, quieter, and easier drive but they don’t possess a character and style that will last for eternity.

I often use car analogies to explain and compare many things in life including music, philosophies, love, concepts and people. People are like cars, for example. Some people are proud, strong, efficient and dependable just like some cars are. Other cars are flashy on the outside yet have inferior and inefficient engines. Some people have hearts of gold yet their exteriors are plain and simple. That to me is my 1987 Land Cruiser. A robust four wheel drive truck with no curves or fancy design yet has got an engine and charm that has got quite a group of aficionados. I’m the third owner of the car and it’s already got over 170,000 miles! It’s still in mint condition because it’s been taken care, loved and restored over the years. Most importantly, it runs like new and still turns heads on the road. I’m frequently accosted by people who ask me whether I’m interested in selling the truck. I’m always very flattered but still answer, “No way, this is my baby!”

DT